Patna: Bihar is significantly behind its target under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with rooftop solar plants installed in only 49,000 of the 2.5 lakh poor households targeted for the first phase.
The state government aims to install 1.1kW solar plants on the rooftops of 2.5 lakh economically weaker households by November. With 2.01 lakh installations still pending, the pace would need to rise to around 2,000 installations a day to meet the target.
Installation pace below required rate
The scheme was launched in Bihar by Samrat Chaudhary on June 14. Under the first phase, 1.1kW solar plants are being installed with 100% subsidy at the homes of economically weaker families covered under the Kutir Jyoti (BPL) category.
The installations are being carried out under the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model as part of the Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme.
In the two months and eight days since its launch, solar plants have been installed in 49,000 homes, according to the figures provided. The current installation rate is around 720 homes a day — well below the roughly 2,000-a-day pace required to meet the November target.
The pace also raises questions about the longer-term target of installing solar plants at the homes of 58 lakh poor families across Bihar within three years.
Up to Rs 98,000 subsidy for 3kW plants
The PM Surya Ghar scheme also provides financial assistance to households outside the BPL category that install rooftop solar plants.
Under the central scheme, households installing solar plants with a capacity of 3kW or more can receive a subsidy of up to Rs 78,000.
The Bihar government has additionally approved a state subsidy of Rs 20,000 for 3kW solar plants, taking the total available subsidy to Rs 98,000.
A 3kW solar plant costs around Rs 2 lakh on average, according to the information provided.
Agencies warned to speed up work
Bihar energy minister Shailesh Kumar, also known as Bulo Mandal, has said the government aims to install solar plants in 2.5 lakh poor households by the end of November under the ULA model.
He said the implementation is being monitored continuously and agencies have been instructed to accelerate the work.
The minister also warned that agencies found negligent in meeting the targets could be blacklisted.
